This recipe is from “Soup’s On” by June Ruopp. She says it is one of her husband’s favorite soups. Add a salad, hot bread or rolls, and you have a meal fit for a king.
Split pea and ham bone soup
1/4cup bacon drippings, or use 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons cooking oil
1cup chopped onion
1ham bone with meat pieces
8cups water
11-pound package split peas, rinsed in warm water and drained
3tablespoons barley
1 1/2cups chopped celery
1cup chopped carrots
1/2teaspoon dried thyme
1tablespoon soy sauce
1-2medium potatoes (optional)
116-ounce can diced tomatoes, add juice and all
Salt and pepper, to taste
Heat bacon drippings in a large soup kettle. Add onions, saute until soft.
Add ham bone, water, peas, barley, celery, carrots, thyme and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If the soup is too watery at this point, peel and shred 1 or 2 potatoes and add to pot.
Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another hour or more.
Remove ham bone and meat. Cut up meat left on bone and add to the soup, along any with extra scraps you may have. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.
Serves six.
This recipe is from “The New Basics Cookbook” by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins.
“We’ve added lots of fresh vegetables to dress up our split pea soup. Adding a bit of sherry just before serving makes the taste special and lighter.”
Split pea and ham soup
1pound dried green split peas
5cups canned chicken broth
5cups water
1meaty ham bone, or 2 smoked ham hocks
2ribs celery, leaves included, diced
3tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/2teaspoon crumbled dried tarragon leaves
4tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1cup diced, peeled carrots
1cup diced onion
1leek (white part only), rinsed and sliced
1cup slivered fresh spinach leaves
2tablespoons dry sherry
1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Rinse the split peas in a strainer and then combine them with the chicken broth and water in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil.
Add the ham bone, celery, 1 tablespoon of the parsley and the tarragon. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the carrots, onion and leek. Cook until the vegetables are wilted, 10 minutes. Add them to the soup pot, along with the spinach. Simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat. Remove the ham bone, and shred the meat from the bone, removing any excess fat. Return the meat to the soup.
Add the sherry, pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons parsley. Heat through; serve immediately.
Serves six.
This recipe was adapted by reporter Tommy Simmons from the soup recipe on the Camellia brand green split pea package. The original recipe calls for ham for seasoning and uses plain water in the stock. It’s a good recipe, too.
Green split pea soup
1pound green split peas
1large onion, chopped
3cups canned chicken broth
3cups water
1/4teaspoon red pepper
1/4teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste (optional)
4carrots, sliced
2ribs celery with leafy tops, chopped
1garlic clove, chopped
2bay leaves
1/4cup milk (optional)
Put rinsed and sorted peas in a big soup pot. Add all the other ingredients, making sure that the liquid more than covers the split peas. Add more water if needed.
Simmer on medium-low heat for 2 to 21/2 hours or until split peas are tender and the soup is creamy.
If the soup is too thick, add about 1/4 cup milk to thin it a little.
Serves six.
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